1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to triggered, spring ejectable blade, sheathed knives. More particularly, it concerns sheathed knives having a single blade that is ejected by a triggered spring longitudinally from the sheath which then serves as the handle for the blade.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The most common type of sheathed knives are the so-called "pocket knives" in which a blade is pivoted at one end to move between a sheathed position and a use position, e.g., see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,783,509, 3,829,967, 4,040,181 and 5,502,895.
Another type are sheathed knives in which the knife blade is stored in a separable sheath, usually structured for attachment to the waist belt of the user, from which the entire knife is withdrawn for use, e.g., see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,138,768, 5,255,436 and 5,297,341.
A third type are sheathed knives in which the blade and sheath move longitudinally relative to each other to fix the blade alternatively in a sheathed position or a use position with the sheath serving as the handle for the blade. Such knives come in two basic forms, namely, (1) utility knives having replaceable blades short in length relative to the handle, e.g., see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,091,537 and 4,337,576, and (2) permanent blade knives in which the blade is of length about equal to the sheath, e.g., see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,523,379 and 4,823,463.
The new knives disclosed herein are of the third type, permanent blade form.